Staff Reporter :
The High Court on Monday rejected a bail petition filed by Sikder Group Managing Director Ron Haque Sikder and his brother Dipu Haque Sikder in a case filed on charges of abducting, torturing and threatening to shoot two top officials of Exim Bank over loan permission.
Besides, the court has fined the two brothers for wasting court’s time by submitting bail petition from abroad. They will have to pay 10 thousand PPEs (personal protective equipment) as the compensation to the Prime Minister’s relief fund within two weeks.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the order after holding virtual hearing on the bail petition filed by the two brothers.
Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder and Advocate Ajmalul Hossain took part in the hearing on behalf of the Sikder Group, while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ahmed represented the State.
Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder, who are currently in Thailand, jointly filed the anticipatory bail petition on July 2 through Supreme Court lawyer Saifullah Mamun and the lawyer placed the petition in the court through email.
The petition was mentioned in the court on Sunday (July 19) and the court fixed to hear it on Monday, said advocate Abdul Baset Majumder.
After the court order, attorney general Mahbubey Alam said, “The court has rejected their bail petition and fined them. They have been asked to pay 10 thousand PPEs to the prime minister’s relief fund as compensation.”
The court fined them as they wasted court’s time by submitting bail petition from abroad, said Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ahmed.
The accused petitioners in the petition prayed to the HC to direct the law enforcers not to harass or arrest them after return to the country, said DAG Bashir Ahmed.
There is, however, no legal provision and tradition of seeking anticipatory bail by any accused from the virtual HC Bench, the Deputy Attorney General also said.
Besides, in the normal proceedings of the HC, the accused cannot seek anticipatory bail staying abroad, DAG Bashir Ahmed said, adding that Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder are now fugitives as they left the country and a fugitive cannot seek anticipatory bail.
Advocate Muhammad Saifullah Mamun told the reporters that his client sought anticipatory bail from the virtual HC Bench as they are now not in the country.
“If they do not seek anticipatory bail they will be treated as fugitives,” the lawyer said, adding that the allegations brought against them are not credible.
Director of Exim Bank Lt Col (Retired) Sirajul Islam filed the case with Gulshan Police Station on May 19 this year against Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder for allegedly torturing two top officials of the bank and firing at them over a Tk 5.0 billion loan.
Accused Ron Haque Sikder and his brother Dipu Haque Sikder reportedly left the country by air on May 25 amid coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement to the media, the National Bank Limited (NBL), said the case was “baseless” and “fabricated”, adding that Ron Haque Sikder, Managing Director of Sikder Group, “did not apply for any such loan”.
The High Court on Monday rejected a bail petition filed by Sikder Group Managing Director Ron Haque Sikder and his brother Dipu Haque Sikder in a case filed on charges of abducting, torturing and threatening to shoot two top officials of Exim Bank over loan permission.
Besides, the court has fined the two brothers for wasting court’s time by submitting bail petition from abroad. They will have to pay 10 thousand PPEs (personal protective equipment) as the compensation to the Prime Minister’s relief fund within two weeks.
The High Court bench of Justice Md Ashraful Kamal passed the order after holding virtual hearing on the bail petition filed by the two brothers.
Advocate Abdul Baset Majumder and Advocate Ajmalul Hossain took part in the hearing on behalf of the Sikder Group, while Attorney General Mahbubey Alam and Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ahmed represented the State.
Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder, who are currently in Thailand, jointly filed the anticipatory bail petition on July 2 through Supreme Court lawyer Saifullah Mamun and the lawyer placed the petition in the court through email.
The petition was mentioned in the court on Sunday (July 19) and the court fixed to hear it on Monday, said advocate Abdul Baset Majumder.
After the court order, attorney general Mahbubey Alam said, “The court has rejected their bail petition and fined them. They have been asked to pay 10 thousand PPEs to the prime minister’s relief fund as compensation.”
The court fined them as they wasted court’s time by submitting bail petition from abroad, said Deputy Attorney General Bashir Ahmed.
The accused petitioners in the petition prayed to the HC to direct the law enforcers not to harass or arrest them after return to the country, said DAG Bashir Ahmed.
There is, however, no legal provision and tradition of seeking anticipatory bail by any accused from the virtual HC Bench, the Deputy Attorney General also said.
Besides, in the normal proceedings of the HC, the accused cannot seek anticipatory bail staying abroad, DAG Bashir Ahmed said, adding that Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder are now fugitives as they left the country and a fugitive cannot seek anticipatory bail.
Advocate Muhammad Saifullah Mamun told the reporters that his client sought anticipatory bail from the virtual HC Bench as they are now not in the country.
“If they do not seek anticipatory bail they will be treated as fugitives,” the lawyer said, adding that the allegations brought against them are not credible.
Director of Exim Bank Lt Col (Retired) Sirajul Islam filed the case with Gulshan Police Station on May 19 this year against Ron Haque Sikder and Dipu Haque Sikder for allegedly torturing two top officials of the bank and firing at them over a Tk 5.0 billion loan.
Accused Ron Haque Sikder and his brother Dipu Haque Sikder reportedly left the country by air on May 25 amid coronavirus pandemic.
In a statement to the media, the National Bank Limited (NBL), said the case was “baseless” and “fabricated”, adding that Ron Haque Sikder, Managing Director of Sikder Group, “did not apply for any such loan”.
